Multiple Sclerosis helpline calls triple after assisted suicide interview

THE numbers of people contacting the country’s multiple sclerosis helpline has nearly tripled in the 24 hours since it was revealed a Corkman suffering from the illness died by assisted suicide in Switzerland.

According to Multiple Sclerosis Ireland, they have received over 30 calls in the past 24 hours from young people recently diagnosed with the illness and others in a more advanced stage of the illness.

Thirty-year-old Martin Barry, from Model Farm Road in Cork, died in Zurich last month with the help of the assisted suicide group, Dignitas, which he had joined over a year ago. “There are a number of calls from people who feel they are presenting symptoms of MS. While it would be easy to dismiss these calls, it is important to bear in mind that MS is a disorder which, despite its prevalence, is shrouded in myth and misinformation. The symptoms are easily passed off as simple fatigue, over-exertion or any number of other excuses,” said Ann Strunks of MSIreland.

“There have also been a number of calls from older people with MS who are very distressed from what they have heard in the past 24 hours.”

MSIreland had yesterday strongly criticised RTÉ for repeating an interview they had conducted with Mr Barry in October last year because they felt it was distressing for fellow sufferers. Yesterday, the mother of a 20-year-old who had been diagnosed with the illness and committed suicide shortly afterwards, rushed to his defence and told 2FM listeners not to judge such people.

Her son, Mark, who was a jockey, died 10 years ago. His mother, who used the name Christina, said it wasn’t until after his death that the family learnt he been diagnosed with MS five months previously.

“We shouldn’t condemn people who choose to take their lives... We learnt afterwards that he was told he’d be in a wheelchair within six months and could lose the power of his bladder ... He was a jockey and couldn’t handle that,” she said. “I’m not saying suicide is right, but we have to take a step back before condemning these people.

“I would have tried to talk him out of it, but I would have possibly stayed with him during the act. I would have loved to have held his hand as he was all on his own,” she told listeners.

The MS helpline number is 41850 233 233.